For anyone wondering, this is what I'm referring to by 'campaign bible.' The kind-of information blurb to give your players info on the world so they can make characters that fit into the setting. I've been working on crafting one for a while, and since the campaign I intend to play with it I want to be a bit longer term, I haven't held back in giving information.
Except, now that I'm re-reading it, I'm kinda re-thinking on whether or not it's a good idea to literally have 6 full pages in Word for my players to read.
The length of the actual bible. Or longer. Please help I think I have a problem.
Joking aside, I think yours is great. You've got information on areas, information on what I assume is your world's big spooky bad thing, information on gods, and information on factions, which is basically perfect. I don't think you need any more or any less. Not gonna lie, I might use your campaign bible as a reference when writing future ones of my own, to avoid the overcrowded mess that most of mine currently are.
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"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
I give them about 3 pages, and then after they make their characters I give them more info specifics to their background/race/class. That way, everyone gets about 4ish pages total, and then the players all know different stuff so when the non-Elves “Why do your folk do X?” the elf players can answer them and it’s legit. Nobody gets too much, but the overall total amount of info can be more than 6 pages. I also tell them that other common knowledge (horoscopes, calendars, common knowledge about the landscape and agriculture, stuff like that) is their’s for the asking if they want it.
I give them about 3 pages, and then after they make their characters I give them more info specifics to their background/race/class. That way, everyone gets about 4ish pages total, and then the players all know different stuff so when the non-Elves “Why do your folk do X?” the elf players can answer them and it’s legit. Nobody gets too much, but the overall total amount of info can be more than 6 pages. I also tell them that other common knowledge (horoscopes, calendars, common knowledge about the landscape and agriculture, stuff like that) is their’s for the asking if they want it.
I tried doing something like that in a previous campaign, but was scrutinized after the fact because they felt like they didn't know enough. Might give people more information on the presence of their class/race in the area, but...
I give them about 3 pages, and then after they make their characters I give them more info specifics to their background/race/class. That way, everyone gets about 4ish pages total, and then the players all know different stuff so when the non-Elves “Why do your folk do X?” the elf players can answer them and it’s legit. Nobody gets too much, but the overall total amount of info can be more than 6 pages. I also tell them that other common knowledge (horoscopes, calendars, common knowledge about the landscape and agriculture, stuff like that) is their’s for the asking if they want it.
I tried doing something like that in a previous campaign, but was scrutinized after the fact because they felt like they didn't know enough. Might give people more information on the presence of their class/race in the area, but...
Sorry, I forgot to mention I give them whatever information I can on their home town too. And I should have written “at least 4ish pages” To be honest, that would be if I have next to nothing to give them about their PC for race + class + background + hometown. That would basically mean they’re playing something I have nothing for, which usually means they don’t exist there and I should have just said “no.” In reality they get probably get 5-7 pages each, 3 of which everyone got, and the rest git those characters.
Oh, and that “other stuff if they want it” is at least 15 pages long. (That’s all just for 1 country.) Almost everybody asks for something sooner or later, so they get it. The ones who don’t want it in the beginning start to realize how useful it is and then they ask for stuff too. One of my players said her character collects coins. There are 14 countries on that continent alone, each with their own economies, minting their own coinage with different names and sometimes different denominations. She got some of that stuff for the most widely known international coins. They can have up to, I think it came out to around 30 pages total if they want it, but I don’t want to bombard them.
Mine is zero pages. Zero words really. Well, one word I guess- I give them the world's name. But yea I drop them in the starting town with the surrounding countryside mapped to a radius of 50 miles or so. As they travel around I'll invent more of the world around them as they go between sessions.
I call it the quadrant crawler. Each "quadrant" is a 50x50 mile square, with 4 adjacent quadrants. When the PCs enter a new quadrant, create the next 3 adjacent ones by next session. You can make it easier by blocking off a side or two with large natural formations such as ocean or mountain range. Sprinkle towns, dungeons, and other interest points into each quadrant. Flesh them out and tie them together with some questlines.
I have a 6 pages handout, including a 1 page map of the central kingdom, my players start in, as well as the surrounding areas. I have a short introduction to the kingdom and the factions in power, plus short discriptions of the different regions and settlements in the kingdom. The surrounding areas get a paragraph with a few information what these regions are like, and what other realms there are.
So, with that my players can come up with ideas, what characters they want to play with what background, and I then expand on the information from what my players bring in as ideas.
I gave mine about 4 pages. A one-sheet on each of: Races & Nations, Deities and Demigods, and Roman Social Ranks (I am doing a Roman Empire style campaign). And then a 1 page "cheat sheet" on just the basic recent facts of history.
I also have a many-page World Anvil site I am continuously working on, but I have told them that the info. there is optional. I believe most of them have read portions of it but I doubt that any except perhaps one, has read it all.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
1 page of general lore A unset number of pages for character backstory 1 chart of roles for each race (1-3 paragraphs each) 1 chart of roles for each class (1 paragraph each) 1/2 page of important objects (2-3 sentences each) 2 pages of important people (1 paragraph each) 2 pages of important places (1 paragraph each) 1 world map 1 kingdom map 2 pages of main organizations (1 paragraph each, plus alternate names, requirements for joining, and general alignment)
It's going to depend a lot on the players, too. Some players will read a Russian novel full of background. Others won't read even a sentence. Make sure your people aren't the latter before you start writing too much.
Ponder the storytelling axiom “show, don’t tell.” How much of what you have laid out needs to inform character creation and how much is stuff you could roll out as you play?
Personally, I try to make my players read as little as possible. They can barely even remember what is on their character sheets. I'd keep the document, but when the players enter the campaign, try to keep the briefing, uh, "brief". Give them the bare-bone basics of the campaign setting and give them access to view the document if they want it, but otherwise try to reveal the deeper setting details as the game goes on.
Although, honestly, this is different for every group.... idk, it may still work the way you're thinking.
Mine is basically just a bunch of post it’s in a box. I literally have a post it pad, a pencil, and a cardboard box by my bed and when I have an idea for something I’ll jot it down and toss it in the box
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Hi! Semi-experienced DM here.
For anyone wondering, this is what I'm referring to by 'campaign bible.' The kind-of information blurb to give your players info on the world so they can make characters that fit into the setting. I've been working on crafting one for a while, and since the campaign I intend to play with it I want to be a bit longer term, I haven't held back in giving information.
Except, now that I'm re-reading it, I'm kinda re-thinking on whether or not it's a good idea to literally have 6 full pages in Word for my players to read.
Here is what I have, if anyone really cares enough to read it. I feel like all the information I provided is pretty vital for the campaign I'm trying to run, and yet I'm super unsure. Any advice?
EDIT: Now that I'm re-reading it, I'm noticing a lot of discrepancies and grammar blips that I am fixing in the source document.
The length of the actual bible. Or longer. Please help I think I have a problem.
Joking aside, I think yours is great. You've got information on areas, information on what I assume is your world's big spooky bad thing, information on gods, and information on factions, which is basically perfect. I don't think you need any more or any less. Not gonna lie, I might use your campaign bible as a reference when writing future ones of my own, to avoid the overcrowded mess that most of mine currently are.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
I give them about 3 pages, and then after they make their characters I give them more info specifics to their background/race/class. That way, everyone gets about 4ish pages total, and then the players all know different stuff so when the non-Elves “Why do your folk do X?” the elf players can answer them and it’s legit. Nobody gets too much, but the overall total amount of info can be more than 6 pages. I also tell them that other common knowledge (horoscopes, calendars, common knowledge about the landscape and agriculture, stuff like that) is their’s for the asking if they want it.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
I tried doing something like that in a previous campaign, but was scrutinized after the fact because they felt like they didn't know enough. Might give people more information on the presence of their class/race in the area, but...
Sorry, I forgot to mention I give them whatever information I can on their home town too. And I should have written “at least 4ish pages” To be honest, that would be if I have next to nothing to give them about their PC for race + class + background + hometown. That would basically mean they’re playing something I have nothing for, which usually means they don’t exist there and I should have just said “no.” In reality they get probably get 5-7 pages each, 3 of which everyone got, and the rest git those characters.
Oh, and that “other stuff if they want it” is at least 15 pages long. (That’s all just for 1 country.) Almost everybody asks for something sooner or later, so they get it. The ones who don’t want it in the beginning start to realize how useful it is and then they ask for stuff too. One of my players said her character collects coins. There are 14 countries on that continent alone, each with their own economies, minting their own coinage with different names and sometimes different denominations. She got some of that stuff for the most widely known international coins. They can have up to, I think it came out to around 30 pages total if they want it, but I don’t want to bombard them.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Mine is zero pages. Zero words really. Well, one word I guess- I give them the world's name. But yea I drop them in the starting town with the surrounding countryside mapped to a radius of 50 miles or so. As they travel around I'll invent more of the world around them as they go between sessions.
I call it the quadrant crawler. Each "quadrant" is a 50x50 mile square, with 4 adjacent quadrants. When the PCs enter a new quadrant, create the next 3 adjacent ones by next session. You can make it easier by blocking off a side or two with large natural formations such as ocean or mountain range. Sprinkle towns, dungeons, and other interest points into each quadrant. Flesh them out and tie them together with some questlines.
If the name of your world is Faerûn, that doesn’t really count.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
I have a 6 pages handout, including a 1 page map of the central kingdom, my players start in, as well as the surrounding areas. I have a short introduction to the kingdom and the factions in power, plus short discriptions of the different regions and settlements in the kingdom. The surrounding areas get a paragraph with a few information what these regions are like, and what other realms there are.
So, with that my players can come up with ideas, what characters they want to play with what background, and I then expand on the information from what my players bring in as ideas.
I gave mine about 4 pages. A one-sheet on each of: Races & Nations, Deities and Demigods, and Roman Social Ranks (I am doing a Roman Empire style campaign). And then a 1 page "cheat sheet" on just the basic recent facts of history.
I also have a many-page World Anvil site I am continuously working on, but I have told them that the info. there is optional. I believe most of them have read portions of it but I doubt that any except perhaps one, has read it all.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Mine is pretty much this:
1 page of general lore
A unset number of pages for character backstory
1 chart of roles for each race (1-3 paragraphs each)
1 chart of roles for each class (1 paragraph each)
1/2 page of important objects (2-3 sentences each)
2 pages of important people (1 paragraph each)
2 pages of important places (1 paragraph each)
1 world map
1 kingdom map
2 pages of main organizations (1 paragraph each, plus alternate names, requirements for joining, and general alignment)
There is no dawn after eternal night.
Homebrew: Magic items, Subclasses
It's going to depend a lot on the players, too. Some players will read a Russian novel full of background. Others won't read even a sentence. Make sure your people aren't the latter before you start writing too much.
Yup, it varies by player.
As a player, I always wanted the Russian novel. ;)
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
And I liked writing it. Then I found most of the group could barely do the cliff’s notes.
You’ve got some very respectable stuff there.
Ponder the storytelling axiom “show, don’t tell.” How much of what you have laid out needs to inform character creation and how much is stuff you could roll out as you play?
Personally, I try to make my players read as little as possible. They can barely even remember what is on their character sheets. I'd keep the document, but when the players enter the campaign, try to keep the briefing, uh, "brief". Give them the bare-bone basics of the campaign setting and give them access to view the document if they want it, but otherwise try to reveal the deeper setting details as the game goes on.
Although, honestly, this is different for every group.... idk, it may still work the way you're thinking.
Mine is basically just a bunch of post it’s in a box. I literally have a post it pad, a pencil, and a cardboard box by my bed and when I have an idea for something I’ll jot it down and toss it in the box